SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Sportsbet.io has secured the front-of-shirt sponsorship of Southampton FC – for another three-years, following the Saints renewal of its agreement with Coingaming Group.
The extension will allow Sportsbet.io to continue to take advantage of the exposure and advertising during Southampton’s Premier League fixtures, whilst also maintaining a ‘strong relationship’ with the club’s supporters and the local community.
Although financial details have not been confirmed, Southampton have described the renewal as ‘the biggest sponsorship agreement in the club’s history’.
In addition to Southampton, the cryptocurrency betting operator maintains partnerships with a number of professional football clubs and competitions, including Watford FC, Arsenal FC and the Copa do Brasil.
Since first striking a partnership with the Saints in August 2020, Sportsbet.io has cooperated with the club on a number of local social responsibility initiatives, including the ‘Listen to the Saint in You’ campaign during Safer Gambling Week.
This programme saw a number of Southampton players promote responsible betting, encouraging fans to consider the potential risks before wagering on matches.
Additionally, the partners collaborated on the Positive Impact Pledge, which aimed to support start-ups and entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting with grant applications.
CEO of the Coingaming Group, Maarja Pärt, said: “Our first season as Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner has already exceeded all expectations. We’ve been inspired by the passion of the club and its fans, and it was an easy decision for us to extend our partnership with the Saints for another three years.
“From the beginning, Southampton have been a perfect match for the fun, fast and fair way we do things at Sportsbet.io. We can’t wait to continue this journey with the Saints, and we’ll be doing everything we can to support the team and its community into the future.”
Although the exclusive front-of-shirt sponsor the team, Sportsbet.io recently donated its shirt sponsorship to the Saints Foundation during a Premier League clash against Burnley FC, with the aim of raising awareness of the Foundation’s operations and drive fundraising. The firm also contributed an additional £10,000 on top of the donations generated.
Furthermore, as Sportsbet.io is a crypto-betting operator, the extension features a strong cryptocurrency element, including the option for the Saints to be paid performance-based bonuses in Bitcoin at the end of each season.
“The team at Sportsbet.io have built a successful business by challenging convention and disrupting the market, but in a responsible way, and their approach to our partnership with them has been no different,” remarked David Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Southampton FC.
“In a short timeframe they’ve proven to be innovative, forward thinking and extremely supportive of the club, our fans and the wider community, and we’ve welcomed the opportunity to develop and promote safe gambling messages together. As such they have become valued partners and we look forward to the next chapter together.”
